Japan's Abe Aims to Forge Deeper Ties on Visit to U.S.

By

Yuka Hayashi

Feb. 20, 2013 3:20 p.m. ET

TOKYO—Shinzo Abe is the fifth Japanese prime minister in the four years since U.S. President Barack Obama took office to promise stronger economic and security ties between the two allies. Mr. Abe wants to show the president, as they meet Friday in Washington, that this time things are different, and that he will have the clout and endurance to deliver the results.

"The Japan-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of our foreign policy. We need to bolster it and nurture it back to health," Mr. Abe told parliament last...